Many homes have multiple seating units, such as chairs and sofas, residing and arranged in a living room or den. With the trend toward increased use of the living room or den as a recreational, entertainment and dining space, many consumers desire furniture pieces that provide function beyond the conventional seating and support provided by conventional furniture. An early example of such furniture is the so-called "recliner" chair, which is a chair that moves from an upright position to one or more reclined positions that are particularly suitable for sleeping, reading, and watching television. As another example of furniture having added function, coffee tables and end tables have been developed that have the appearance of conventional tables but that provide a movable table surface; these tables are particular appealing for those who wish to eat, read, play cards or games, or engage in other activities that would benefit from having a table-like surface positioned as a tray for a seated occupant.
In addition, some pieces have been developed that provide multiple functions. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,153 to Durling discusses a unit of furniture that comprises a pair of recliner chairs having a storage console positioned therebetween. In this configuration, the unit provides reclining capability for two occupants at the same time and also provides a storage receptacle for reading material, video and audio tapes, snack foods, and remote control devices for a television, video recorder or player, or the like, and provides this storage receptacle in a location convenient to each seated occupant.
This unit has some recognized shortcomings. It is constructed, sold, and used as a single piece; thus it is quite bulky and cannot be broken down into smaller pieces to fit advantageously within a small room. As a result, the unit cannot be used in rooms in which there is insufficient space to contain the entire unit. It is also not designed for use with only a single chair, or with a pair of chairs that are unmatched in style, reclining capability, upholstery, and the like. It cannot be used in the disclosed configuration with recliner chairs in which the armrests of the chair move relative to the base during the reclining motion. In addition, some consumers dislike its bulky appearance. Finally, the unit provides a storage receptacle, but does not provide a convenient table-like support surface for supporting materials such as food, beverages, books, and magazines. The console includes a cover hingedly attached to its rear wall, but the cover must be raised to access the storage cavity of the console and thus cannot be used to support articles while the storage is being accessed.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a unit which provides a convenient table-like support surface for a furniture unit that includes a pair of chairs having a storage receptacle therebetween.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a table having a support surface that can be used one or two chairs.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a table having table-like support surfaces that can be used with two adjacent chairs irrespective of the structure and style of the chairs.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a table-like support that permits access to an associate storage console.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a table that can be used with a pair of adjacent chairs that can be packaged and shipped separately from the chairs.